The philosophy of the Practical Nursing Program is congruent with the mission/vision and shared values of the Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical Center with the addition of the nursing faculty's emphasis on health, environment, nursing, education and the individual.

The faculty of the Practical Nursing Program of the Wilkes-Barre Area Career & Technical Center is dedicated to the preparation of the practical nurse.  The department's goal is to graduate a knowledgeable nurse capable of providing safe, effective and competent patient care with direct supervision of the registered nurse, medical doctor or dentist.  We believe that the practical nurse education is based on a complementary relationship between clinical experience and classroom studies.  Didactic information progresses from the simple to the complex and is closely correlated to scheduled clinical experiences.

The faculty is aware that society and health care are constantly changing and believe the practical nurse is part of this dynamic process.  The following are the faculty's beliefs about the interrelated and dynamic concepts that make up the paradigm of nursing:

Health is the ability to exist holistically throughout life by balancing and integrating life processes at the best level of an individual's capability.  Health includes physical, mental and social well-being with the ability to overcome or adapt to stressors.  The faculty believe the strongest factor to affect health is the individual's self-efficacy regarding health promotion and maintenance activities.  We believe positive perceptions of control of health strongly relate to continued health promoting behaviors.

Environment is the immediate surroundings in which individuals, families and communities exist.  It is shaped by one's age, developmental state, life experiences, socio-cultural orientation, health and available resources.  The faculty believes the environment is a major determinant in the individual's ability to attain a positive state of health.

Nursing is an art and a science that utilizes the nursing process as a basic framework for practice.  It is a combination of principles and knowledge from the physical and behavioral sciences with nursing arts and techniques.  Holistic nursing addresses the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of each individual.  Nursing provides care services directed toward primary health care (prevention); secondary health care (hospital and extended care faculties) and tertiary health care (rehabilitation and restorative care) facilities.

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge and skills by theory and correlated experience.  Education provides the opportunity for an individual to develop to one's own potential.  The process is based on prior knowledge and it builds on this foundation.  The faculty plans, implements and evaluates the learning experience.  The practical nursing program should be in an academic setting with concurrent clinical experience under the supervision and guidance of a qualified instructor.

Individuals are unique beings, possessing inherent worth and dignity and a capacity for continued growth and adaptation throughout the life cycle.  The individual is the recipient of nursing care and the faculty believes it is our responsibility to the student to integrate society, nursing and education to allow them to function effectively as contributing members of society.  We believe that an individual must continually adapt to changes in the environment and changes within one's self.

We believe that nursing education is based upon a foundation of scientific concepts with a curriculum reflecting current and realistic articulation of theory and clinical experiences in a sequential manner throughout the program.  The curriculum should reflect the common needs of all individuals in health care settings as contained in our curriculum which provides well defined objectives.  We strive to develop a practical nurse who functions safely, effectively, and competently.

We believe that the educational program is the responsibility of a qualified faculty to develop, implement, evaluate and revise on an on-going process; and to keep the curriculum current, flexible, and reflective of the health care changes, while maintaining the standards of nursing education.  Faculty members strive for professional development by use of current teaching methods and nursing trends.  The faculty evaluates the curriculum on a continuing basis to fulfill this goal. The Practical Nursing Faculty is dedicated and committed to the development of competent graduates and Practical Nursing Education.

End of Program Student Learning Outcomes (Role specific graduate competencies)

Following successful completion of the program, the graduate of the School of Practical Nursing at WBACTC will:

1. Utilize the nursing process in identifying and prioritizing the health care needs of clients and families experiencing multiple health states in a variety of health care settings.

2. Practice satisfactory performance of required psychomotor skills while caring for clients and families experiencing multiple health states in a variety of health care settings.

3. Demonstrate appropriate critical thinking/problem solving skills while caring for clients experiencing multiple heath states in a variety of health care settings.

4. Communicate effectively with individuals, groups and communities using appropriate verbal, non-verbal, written and electronic means within the scope of nursing practice.

5. Synthesize principles of personal accountability in nursing practice by:
   1. Functioning within the scope of practice of the Licensed Practical Nurse.
   2. Integrating nursing code of ethics into practice.
   3. Advocating for clients and health care consumers.
   4. Demonstrating leadership skills while assuming responsibility for personal actions while providing nursing care.

6. Demonstrate values, attitudes, and personal qualities that reflect a commitment to respecting human dignity and the individual rights of clients in a variety of health care settings.

7. Utilize educational opportunities for both personal and professional growth in provision of care and health promotion of individual clients and families experiencing multiple health states in a variety of health care settings.